OUR PIEDMONT KITCHEN - RECIPES

Antipasti Recipes

Melon and Prawns [Melone e Gamberretti]

This is an easy but really good starter. It tastes better if you use fresh unshelled prawns so the recipe here includes instructions about cooking them. I have, when pushed for time used shelled cooked prawns. Normally the flavour is not quite as good but if you have used decent prawns it still works. So if you prefer just don’t follow 1- 3 cooking instructions but start the recipe at step 4.

Ingredients [for 6 people]

6 tbsps dry white wine

1 small bay leaf

2-3 whole black peppercorns

Pinch of salt

2-3 sprigs fresh parsley leaves finely chopped

1 small onion halved

12oz/350g fresh prawns in their shells

1 medium sized melon

2 lettuce leaves

5oz/125g thick mayonnaise

2 tbsps mild mustard

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

1 tbsp whipping cream

Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp brandy

Cooking Instructions

Put 1 pint/500ml of water into a pot with a little salt, white wine, bay leaf peppercorns, onion and parsley and bring to the boil.
Simmer for at least five minutes then add prawns and cook for at least 4 mins.
Remove the prawns form the liquid discarding the ingredients. When the prawns are cool, peel them and place in a bowl.
Cut the melon in half and discard the seeds.
Scoop out the melon flesh being careful not to puncture the skins.
Cut the scooped out melon into cubes [½ inch/1cm in size] and place in a mixing bowl.
Prepare the dressing by blending the mayonnaise with the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, tomato ketchup, cream and the brandy.
Do a taste test and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Mix the cooled prawns and the melon cubes into the sauce and divide into the two halves of scooped out melon skins.
Serve immediately